- Govt issues more fishing licenses annually
- Types of fishing activities here
Govt issues more fishing licenses annually
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) approved and issued between 180 to 235 licenses to foreign and local vessels fishing each year in the country over the past five years from 2014-2018.
Director of Fisheries from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Edward Honiwala revealed this during a presentation held in Auki recently during the signing of the memorandum of wnderstanding (MOU) between the MFMR and Malaita Provincial Government.
Mr. Honiwala revealed that of the total licensed vessels, 92 percent of them are foreign owned while only 8 percent is locally owned.
He said in terms of fleets, Purse Seiners has dominated with 63 percent of the total fishing fleets, second is Longline with 38 percent of the fishing fleets and the remaining three percent is Pole and Line fleet.
Types of fishing activities here
Solomon Islands has three types of commercial fishing fleets currently operating in the country says the Director of Fisheries from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Edward Honiwala.
Mr.Honiwala revealed this during a presentation in Auki recently
“Solomon Islands has only three types of commercial fisheries operating in the country’s waters.
“The three types of commercial fisheries operating in the country’s waters are; Purse Seine fleet, Long Line, and Pole and Line,” he said.
He said of the three fishing fleets, Purse Seiner made up most of the fleets, which amounted to 63 percent of the total fishing fleets.
Accordingly, the Purse Seine method uses huge nets commonly known as seine.
For longline, they usually use a longline called main line with baited hooks attached to the longline. This particular fishing fleet is amounted to 33 percent of all the fleets currently fishing in the county’s waters.
Pole and Line is known for its sustainable harvest rates which only amounted to 3 percent of all the fishing fleets in the country.
By WILSON SAENI
In Auki